Civil rights poster titled "Ernie McMillan" for an imprisoned protester

Object number2006.010.0001

Date1968

ClassificationsArtifacts

ObjectPoster

Credit LineEva McMillan Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumPaper

Dimensions21 3/4 x 17 in. (55.2 x 43.2 cm)

Terms

Collections

Civil Rights Movement

DescriptionPoster titled "Ernie McMillan" with a black and white photograph of Ernest McMillan (circa 1968). The text of at the bottom of the poster reads: "Ernie Mc Millan Speaks: 'One can correctly conclude that Justice, as the wealth of this Nation, is limited to the very privileged few, that the institutions of the State serve only to maintain this relationship of Exploiter and Exploited, that we are witnessing the development of a completely Fascist State, and most importatntly that only Hope for change lies in the Resoluteness and Successful Struggle of all the oppressed people united in a common effort for Liberation in our times.' Ernie McMillan Legal Defense Fund P.O. Box 6141 Dallas, Texas 75222 Help Our Political Prisoners" Ernest McMillan, a member of the Dallas chapter of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, was arrested for destruction of property while participating in a civil rights-related supermarket protest. During his later incarceration, his mother, local civil rights leader Eva McMillan, became involved with prison reform. This poster was part of her social activism.

Curatorial Commentary

Both Ernest McMillan and his mother Eva recorded oral histories with the Museum in 2006. In addition to these one-on-one videotaped interviews, Ernest was a Living History guest for a public program at the Museum in 2013. This program can be viewed in its entirety on the Museum's YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v_VfqDY6to). - Stephen Fagin, Associate Curator